WEST COVINA — Trial began Wednesday for a Glendora man accused of murdering his father with a dumbbell in a storage facility in Irwindale in September.

Jonathan Pedraza, 26, is charged with Sept. 3, 2010 killing of his father, 62-year-old Miguel Pedraza of Glendora.

The body of the elder Pedraza was discovered inside of a storage locker at A-1 Mini Storage, 4391 Irwindale Avenue, beaten to death with a free weight, investigators said.

After the killing, Jonathan Pedraza allegedly rammed his car though a gate at the facility to escape before becoming involved in another hit-and-run crash in Baldwin Park.

A judge in October ruled that the son was mentally competent to stand trial. Authorities have not disclosed a motive in the killing.

After completing jury selection Wednesday in Pomona Superior Court, the jury listened to opening statements and the prosecution began laying out its case, court officials said.

According to county booking records, Jonathan Pedraza was being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

PHOTO courtesy of the Irwindale Police Department